Amlan International, a division of Oil-Dri Corporation of America and a global leader in solutions that improve the intestinal health and productivity of livestock, announced the opening of an additional facility to support recent growth in Amlan’s Life Sciences initiatives.

A showcase for both customer education and new product development, the Richard M. Jaffee Center for Applied Microbiology is located within walking distance from the company’s Nick Jaffee Center for Innovation in Vernon Hills, Ill., the company said.

The proximity will allow for continued collaboration between Oil-Dri’s materials sciences and life sciences teams. The nearly 550 sq. m facility houses the life sciences team and a state-of-the-art Bio-Safety Level 1 and 2 laboratory space, the announcement said.

Amlan said the life sciences team is focused on enhancing its unique mineral to control microorganisms and deliver novel, natural solutions for disease management to the animal health market.

According to the announcement, Amlan’s next-generation products and programs are designed to target virulence factors within the intestinal environment. Reducing pathogenic bacteria and the harmful toxins they produce supports health and allows for efficient growth.

The life sciences team will further investigate Amlan’s mineral technology as a means to disarm pathogenic bacteria by selectively blocking bacteria’s communication (i.e., quorum sensing) and other key virulence pathways essential to bacterial pathogens mounting successful infections, the company said.

“The Richard M. Jaffee Center for Applied Microbiology offers advanced customer support through new, proprietary analysis of intestinal tissue and unique disease control programs,” Amlan president Flemming L. Mahs said.

In 2017, Amlan opened its first microbiology lab within its innovation center. It was named for former Oil-Dri chairman Richard M. Jaffee, in honor of his leadership, pioneering spirit and passion for health. Over the past two years, the life sciences team has had tremendous success and quickly identified the need for further investment.

"I was happy to invest in the expansion of our microbiological research. My father always understood the value of research and development in our quest to better serve our customers,” Oil-Dri chief executive officer Daniel S. Jaffee said. "The investment in this eponymous microbiology lab and life sciences research is a natural continuation of that vision. This advanced facility and our customer-driven solutions help position Amlan as a strategic partner in the market and can further cultivate sales across the world."

Oil-Dri Corporation of America, a Delaware corporation doing business as Amlan International, has grown its product offering across the feed additive and antibiotic growth promoter alternative market, driven largely by the research conducted at its laboratory campus in Vernon Hills.

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